Broken Promises
by GoldenGirlSherry
Summary: Episode continuation of Who's The Boss.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: I wrote this really fast so if it doesn't make sense I apologize.

He was gone. She couldn't believe that in the space of less than twenty-four hours he had left her twice. She had been so excited to spend the day with him. Lately it seemed like he only wanted to spend time with his friends. Usually, she didn't mind ; she liked his friends and didn't want to be that kind of finance. But, she wanted to spend time with him too and usually he enjoyed spending time with her. But, lately he didn't seem to want to. It was like he was angry with her for something and was avoiding her. What had gone wrong? Where had they gone wrong? They were a couple- a team but lately it felt like they were on opposing sides. She tried to pinpoint the moment where everything started falling apart but she couldn't. She had to though. She had to retrace their steps and find out what had gone wrong and try and fix it- before it was to late.

She thought over the past few days. She had been so excited about the ballet coming to town and the fact that he had promised to take her if they ever did. She knew that going to the ballet wasn't his cup of tea but she also knew that once he made a promise he kept it. So then why had he broken his promise to her this time? Why had he made his head injury more serious than what it was? Why had he lied to her? He had played on her sympathy to get out of a promise he had made to her. It hurt. It hurt more than if he had just been honest and had told her he didn't want to go. But, instead of being truthful he had made a mountain out of a molehill- so to speak- and led her to believe he was worse off than he really was. So she had insisted he stay home and rest and she would go to the ballet with her Mother.

While at the ballet she had been wracked with guilt. Even though she loved the ballet she couldn't stop thinking about Tony. What if his injury was more serious than they thought? What if he was lying unconscious on the couch? What if? What if? What if? She couldn't stand it anymore and when intermission came told Mona they were going home. All the way home she could barely keep the fear out of her heart. She gripped the steering wheel so tightly her hands ached. Finally they made it home and she walked as fast as she could in her heels and opened the door expecting to find him passed out on the sofa. Instead she found him in the midst of a poker game with his friends, her son, and two young girls sitting in his lap. She had been floored. She had been devastated. She had been furious.

She couldn't believe that he had lied to her. Tony had always been one of the most honest people she had ever known. And yet right in front of her was the cold hard fact that even he could be deceitful. They had had it out in the kitchen and he had left with his friends. She had gone to bed soon after assuming that he would be home later. It wasn't until this morning when Sam called her that she realized he had stayed with her. She had thanked her for calling and had gone into the kitchen to wait for him. When he arrived back home she acted like she hadn't known he had been out all night. She wanted him to admit that he had been wrong deceiving her. If he had she would have forgiven him because she loved him. She didn't want anything to come between them. She just wanted things back the way they were.

Instead he behaved like a little kid and before she knew it they were arguing again. Mona, in her own unique way had tried to help but they both knew they had to work it out for themselves. So they talked. He had told her that he didn't like to be pushed into doing things that he didn't like. Okay, she understood that but at the same time he had never had to be pushed before. After they had cleared the air he had told her that he wanted to do whatever she had wanted to do today. She had been so excited. She had told him that she wanted to go shopping and model clothes for him. She smiled to herself. While she knew he probably would rather go to the dentist she loved the fact that he was willing to go. and it wasn't like they were going to be there all day. They could have lunch, take a walk, and reconnect. But, instead he had run out on her. Again.

Something crept back into her mind. When he had been dating Kathleen she had wanted to go see Les Miserables. And he had taken her. Even though going to see a Broad Way play was on the same level of going to the ballet he had still gone because she had wanted to. So why hadn't he given her the same respect and consideration?! She felt her eyes fill with tears. Was he trying to tell her something? Did he even love her anymore? Did he want to back out of the wedding? She looked down at her finger where her engagement ring rested. She remembered the day vividly when he had slipped it on. He had been so nervous. So sweet. He had stumbled over the words but had finally gotten them out. She remembered how the touch of his hands had been so rough yet gentle. And the way he had kissed her afterwards? Let's just say she could have died a happy woman.

But, now everything was different between them. The sad thing was she had no idea how to make things better.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony arrived home a few hours later a bouquet of pink roses in his hand. He knew he was in the doghouse after running out on Angela and hoped the roses would make up for his insensitivity. However, even though he felt bad about what he had done he knew that he wasn't going to spend the day traipsing after her holding her purse in one hand and her packages in the other. He filled a vase with water and placed the roses inside and decided to put the roses on the coffee table in the living room.

He pushed the swinging door open and stopped when he saw her sitting on the couch. Her back was to the kitchen door and her legs were pulled up to her chest. She was staring off into space as if in a trance. He walked over and placed the vase on the coffee table. He sat down on the couch.

"Hi Angela! I ummm bought you some flowers." She flicked a quick glance at them and then resumed her original position.. Okay so she wasn't going to make this easy. He figured that much. He took her hands in his and was startled when he noticed something very important was missing.

"Angela where's your engagement ring?"

"I took it off." she said calmly. She pulled her hands away and folded her arms around her stomach.

"What? Why?" he was at a loss. Okay he had acted like a jerk by running out on her but wasn't this going a little far?

She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I don't feel like I deserve to wear it anymore."

"Come on Angela you're talking crazy! Of course you do."

She looked at him for the first time since he came home. Her eyes were red the remnants of her tears obvious.

"I do? Really?! It seems to me that based on the past few days that is exactly what you are telling me!"

He was at a loss. What did she mean by that? Did she think that he didn't want to marry her anymore? Of course he did. He just wanted time to himself or with his friends. Was that really to much to ask for?!

"Angela, look I know things have been a little stressful between us lately but.." he was about to continue when she cut him off.

"Stressful?! Yeah, that's a good word for it."

"Well then how about we just forget everything and you put your engagement ring back on?"

"No."

"No? Angela come on! Let's just forget everything." He flashed a smile and leaned in to kiss her. Before he could though she pushed him away with her hands.

"No! You are not going to get out of this by being cute or bringing me some flowers I can't and won't put it back on until I get a few things off my chest."

He sighed. Okay this was something she needed to do so he would sit back and listen.

"Okay I'm all ears." he gestured for her to begin.

"Le Miserables."

"Le Miserables?!" he asked in confusion. What in the world did that have to do with them?!

"Angela? What does that have to do with anything? We have never seen that. I went with…" his voice trailed off as the light dawned on him.

"No, we never have but you did go with Kathleen. Why was that Tony?"

"Because she wanted to."

"Exactly Tony! She wanted to go and you took her. But, when you promised to take me to the ballet what happened? Did you take me?"

"No, but I did get hit on the head remember?"

"Oh come on! We both know it wasn't that bad. As I said before you were just playing on my sympathy."

"Okay, maybe I did. But, you know how I feel about the ballet. It is boring!"

"That's not the point Tony! You made me a promise and you broke it. Yeah, I know that going to the ballet isn't on the top of things you love to do but a promise is a promise."

"Angela I…."

"You were right about one thing Tony." she interrupted him. "I did come home early. I felt so guilty leaving you here alone. I couldn't even enjoy watching the ballet because all I saw, all I could think about was you lying here on this couch unconscious. So at intermission I told Mother we were leaving. I was in such a frantic hurry to get home and all the way I kept having this image in my head of you.." she stopped to wipe away her tears. "But instead what did I find when I opened the door?!" she waved her arm in the direction of the front door. "You and your friends, along with my son playing poker, drinking beer, and smoking those smelly cigars while two young pizza girls are sitting on your lap!"

"Angela, look I know that it looked bad. But, the guys just came over and well we just decided to play a little poker. Are you telling me that I'm not allowed to talk to or see my friends anymore just because we're engaged?!"

"Of course not Tony! But, I do expect that when you make me a promise that you keep it unless an emergency comes up. And a poker game or a basketball game or whatever isn't one."

"Okay, maybe I was wrong. Maybe I shouldn't have run out on you this morning either. But, did you really think that I wanted to sit in some clothing store while you tried on outfit after outfit after outfit? And then what? Was I supposed to trail after you holding your purse and packages?"

"No, but I thought the idea of spending the day together would be enough. It used to be. Now it seems that lately you'll do anything not to."

"Angela! That's not true. I do want to spend time with you. It's just well it was like Mona said. I don't want limits put on my freedom. But, I am sorry that I hurt you. I was a jerk. So can we just get past all this now?"

"Not yet."

"Not yet?!" he asked in exasperation. "Angela, what else am I supposed to say or do?"

"You can tell me what you are teaching our kids."

"What do you mean?" he asked in confusion. "What do they have to do with this?"

"Well let's see. You're teaching Jonathan that it's okay to break promises to someone you love. He looks up to you Tony. You are his role model. And what about Sam? What if she was dating a guy and he treated her like this? You would have his head on a platter. But, I guess I don't warrant the same respect."

"Come on Angela, of course you do."

"I used to think so but I just don't know anymore." Her eyes filled with tears. He once again reached for her and breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't pull away. Her tears fell on his shoulder and her body shook from her sobs. After a while the tears stopped and she pulled away. He pulled out a handful of kleenex from the box on the coffee table and gently wiped her eyes.

"Look you have to know that I would never in million years want to teach Sam and Jonathan what you just said."

"Maybe not deliberately no, but that is what you were doing."

He sighed and leaned back. She was right if a guy Sam was dating treated her like this he would have him to answer to. And what about Jonathan? Ever since Michael left he had been his male role model. Did he really want to teach him to treat the woman he loved, the woman he admired like he had been? No, he didn't.

"You have a point." he admitted. "I guess I just wasn't thinking."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. So can we put your ring back on now?" he asked his voice shaky.

"Yes." she reached into her pocket and pulled it out. She was about to slip it back on when he stopped her.

"I believe this is my job." he smiled and took the ring from her. He slipped it on and kissed her hand. They gazed at each other for a few moments before they both leaned in at the same time and gently pressed their lips together. The kiss grew stronger until they were both breathless. He reluctantly pulled himself away so he could ask her something.

"I have an idea. How about I make us a candlelit dinner?"

"Sounds good. And Tony just one more thing?"

"Yes?"

"I love the roses!"


End file.
